JUST SAYING | Put down the mobile phone people and get app-ening

Look around – if you’re on public transport, in a café or restaurant, even at work or university you’ll see it straight away.

Clue? You are possibly doing it now.

We are addicted to our mobile phones.

Go out to dinner and you can be sure that at some point every single person at the table will be on their phones.

Couples are checking intimacy at the bedroom door, the game of choice being Candy Crush Saga.

Body crush saga no more!

There’s a great documentary on Netflix called Minimalism, about a couple of former corporates who downsize their entire lives to get away from the distraction of material goods and a life that’s not real, or authentic.

They live in small but sufficient homes, and own only what they need.

One jacket. One chair. One coffee mug.

I was reading up last week about a couple of Aussie brothers who have launched a new business offering holidays in this style of minimalist cabin, where you can unplug all your devices, unwind, and live only with the basics.

I’ve always had a certain respect for people who don’t have Facebook accounts.

Who are these enigmas, these people who are so comfortable turning their back on society?

Why don’t they need the validation of likes and comments for everything they do?

How are they just happy to meet a person at face value, and not want to stalk them online?

On the one hand naïve and left behind – but on the other far more evolved and self-assured.

I’m not quite ready to throw away all my crockery nor my collection of winter scarves, but I have deleted Facebook off my mobile phone, and I love getting away to places where there is no phone service.

We live in an amazing part of the world – put down the phone, go for a walk an experience it.

Reconnect with something real.

There’s no app for that.

Fairlie Hamilton is a presenter for i98FM and a Fairfax Media columnist.